3D REFLECTIONS OF LIFE

About a month ago, we celebrated Mothers's Day. Yesterday was Fathers's Day and today is Youth Day. In less than two months, on 09 August we will be celebrating Women's Day. In effect, all those who make up a family unit will be acknowledged and affirmed for the profound roles they play in their families and communities in this cycle of celebrations.   But alas, in most instances we are merely ceremonial, doing the talks and the shows. We don't really want to deal with the real issues of absent fathers, broken families and disenchanted youth. Cathy ( not her real name) and her family are a case in point.   Cathy's family typifies how deeply scarred we are. Cathy, a mother of five children, is a recovering abused victim. She has finally divorced her abusive husband, but she is still sharing a home with him because she depends on him financially. They are two strangers stuck together because of circumstances. The battle lines are drawn and all the family ...

Meeting Zwelakhe Today I met 21-year old Zwelakhe Nofemele at the Lentegeur Psychiatric hospital in Mitchell's Plain. Zwelakhe was manning the Lentegeur Resource centre where there is small shop selling T-shirts. The T- shirt slogans catch one's eye immediately. I am hooked.Emblazoned across the t-shirts are the slogans as you can see on the picture: Mal / adjusted and Nor / Mal. The word "Mal" is an Afrikaans word meaning mad, mentally ill. Good gracious, I thought. Why would the very place where the mentally ill are supposed to find refuge and support, exploit their vulnerability? Society already stigmatizes those who have mental illnesses, now this? I asked Zwelakhe why these slogans gave been chosen. Zwelakhe became the storyteller.   " These t-shirts are part of a small business that is run by one of the past patients of Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital. This man designed the slogans when he was a patient here. These slogans highlight the discrimination and...

I now declare defeat against the Missing Sock.   There is definitely magical power at work. Eeky stuff! You just can't crack the mystery like the Tooth Fairy or the Father Christmas mysteries that were solved as you grew up. Finding out that the Tooth Fairy was your mother in Mother Hubbard stoop or that your dad's paunch evaded you all those years until you caught him red-handed in the Red Xmas felt suit, made you feel foolish, I bet. But you didn't feel defeated, socked. No, no... You still had some dignity in tact and could get away with "I knew it" retort. Not do with the M.S. Syndrome, I tell you.   This is where the Missing Sock reigns supreme. Doing the laundry is already a chore even if you have an automatic machine and a tumble drier. Knowing you are going to come off second best because of the missing sock, is enough to drive you beserk .   I have tried all the tricks in the book to outfox the Missing Sock.   I accused the sock owners of carelessness,...

There is nothing you can really do if you don't have a Matric certificate. You can have all the knowledge and skills in the world, but if you don't have your Matric certificate, doors will slam in your face. The Matric certificate is the golden ticket to create opportunities for you.   You will still search for a job, but it may be easier to secure a job if you can show a Matric certificate. You may want to find a better job, but the prospective employer wants that grade 12 certificate. Only then will he or she allow you to be considered as a potential employee. Then only will your skills be recognized, no matter what people may tell you to the contrary.   If you find this hard to believe, ask any one of the 141 adult learners who sat for their Business Economics examination today at just one of the Examination centres I visited today. According to the chief invigilator, Mr Charles, 100 of the candidates did not turn up. The Steenberg High centre manager, Mr Williams told me ...

Mr Cogill, one of the janitors at Levana Primary school had another duty added to his weekend roster: looking after an injured ringed dove. The dove was stroked ever so tenderly by its carer. I saw the pair standing on the stoep in the sun on Saturday morning. The dove was cupped in Mr Cogill's rather large hands for such a small framed man.   Apparently children pelted stones at the harmless bird. Mr Cogill found the bird on the school's premises and nursed it, creating a warm bed for the injured bird in his store room. Because the weather was good, Mr Cogill decided to stand in the sun with 'Dove 4552'. There is a nasty hole just under its wing where the wing joins the body. If only the children knew their idea of fun - throwing stones at birds - is a cruel sport.   The ring on the dove contained key information. I visited the Sonpo website as indicated on the ring to see if we could track the owner of Dove 4552. I learned that the country of origin also features on...

Aerial view from Cape Town a International airport   Levona and I flew to Johannesburg for my brother in law, Finga Mitchell's funeral, on our National Elections Day. As luck would have it, we were separated on the flight. That's when your virgin flying becomes exposed, you see. We booked online and got a good deal with Kulula. Much better than traveling by car for a minimum of 16 hours! But we don't know some of the flying secrets that many flyers know. Right, we boarded and I sat between two real gentleman. The one sitting in the aisle seat helped shove our carry-on bags in the overhead cabins. Small spaces, I may add. It's like traveling in a taxi from Wynberg to Retreat with your shopping shoved between your legs. Only here it is in neat cabins. Just like our caravan, I'd say. I am sure sardines have better accommodation. My elbows are placed neatly next to my pancreas and part of a kidney, I think. Wanna have a pleasant trip, but it may be a bit tricky... Whil...

Brian, the pallet furniture maker Today there is a spring in my step because we are having our national elections today. I use my vote whenever we have elections. My vote on the national and provincial ballot papers have awesome power because those crosses speak volumes and are recognized and acknowledged more than my physical presence! Why people think up all kinds of reasons not to go to the polls really baffles.   So, on my way to the voting station here at the Southfield library, Brett, our firstborn, first takes me to Brian, the pallet furniture entrepreneur close to our Voice venue. In front of Brian's house we see a set of outdoor furniture made of pallets that have been whitewashed. There is a two-seater bench, two buxom chairs and a coffee table. Beautiful outdoor seating to transform any courtyard or backyard into an appealing entertainment zone. I am such a sucker for handcrafted stuff, especially if it is borne from the sweat of those who promote conservation, make...